Collier Co. commission meeting gets heated

The conversation at Tuesday's Collier County Commission meeting got so heated with people interrupting and talking over each other that commissioner and chairman, Tom Henning rapped his gavel on the desk and called a 10 minute break to cool off.

During a presentation on banking services by the clerk of courts, Dwight Brock, Hiller said, “It's actually quite humorous to hear you speak the way you do and the reason is you're talking out of both sides of your mouth.”

Hiller said she didn't agree with the way Brock was going about the issue, even calling him unprofessional.

“The reason I don't talk to you is because you're incredibly rude,” she said.

The conversation got so heated with people interrupting and talking over each other that commissioner and chairman, Tom Henning rapped his gavel on the desk and called a 10 minute break to cool off.

Still, Hiller said he was trying to block her right to speak.

“I'll tell you what Mr. Henning I will not be bullied by you. You may not want to hear what I'm saying because I know you and the clerk are really good friends and you spend weekends fishing and drinking together but it is really inappropriate for you to cut me off like this,” she said.

Commissioner Tim Nance said the discussion was getting in the way of business.

“We can't make a decision we've been going on for hours and hours and hours here,” he said.

When it came time for public comment, Henning told residents they couldn't speak on two big issues because they were already items on the agenda. This added even more fuel to the fiery meeting prompting one business owner to stand up and say, “they should get a chance to talk, we should get a chance to talk! Y'all have wasted all afternoon b-s ing about this little pissing match.”

Another business owner said, “They've had a real bad day, the commissioners here.”

On Wednesday Commissioner Hiller said, “Quite frankly I don't care if there was a rule he should have overlooked and allowed these people to speak.”

Although, she said she did not think the meeting had gotten out of hand.

“It was a focused discussion; it was very technical it was legal.”

She said she had no doubts the board would be able to work together in the future. Commissioner Henning responded to NBC-2 by email saying, “One Commissioner has consistently created unnecessary drama during the meetings and was repeatedly asked to focus on the topics at hand.”

On the claim that he and Dwight Brock were good friends, he said, “I've voted against and in favor of Clerk of Court items so friendships that have developed over the years take a back seat to the people's business.”

Henning also responded to Hiller's claims that he had tried to block her from speaking.

“Watch the meeting and see how long she speaks about subjects that are not even before us. She was not censured. She was asked to refocus her thoughts and help us do our job which is to make a decision on items before us,” he said.